New Orleans: The French Quarter and More

New Orleans is a great place to go as a couple, with friends and even with children. Although, if you want to enjoy the French Quarter at night, it's best to bring a babysitter.

For family fun, there are the shops in the French Quarter, the trolley to the shopping mall, the buggy rides, the zoo and the square where painters paint, performers perform and you can even get your palm read. The World War II museum, just a quick cab ride away is filled with such amazing artifacts that you must give this museum several hours in order to see and enjoy it all, especially with the expansions they've made.

BUBBA GUMP'S, a must eat place in New Orleans, but brush up on your movie trivia because there will be questions about the movie, Forest Gump, the winners get small trinkets that are usually sold in the gift shop.

New Orleans is the place to go when your mind is tired and your body is not. There is so much to see and so much to do that you can leave the worries behind you as soon as you get there.

It's beauty and it's people are amazing.

The Best Place to Stay:

In the french quarter. Parking is scarce, but once you park you never have to move it again. Everything you need is in the French Quarter or within walking distance. The Ursuline Guest House was a nice place with 2 bedrooms, they had cheese and wine at 5:00 pm. for guests and continental breakfast, all for about $245 a night per room. The French Market Hotel which was a higher end hotel and a little pricier, but it was on the outskirts of the French Quarter. Best Western (very inexpensive) but I wouldn't recommend that area. After Katrina, it's been cleaned up a bit, but I still don't feel to comfortable with that area. Vacation Rentals By Owners has very good deals on studio and regular home rentals at a fair price.

Places to Go and Things to do:

• Jackson Square (free)
• The old cemetery (free)- a trip to New Orleans wouldn't be fun without seeing the "Voodoo Queen", Marie Laveau's grave site.
• The Buggy rides (about $50-$100) depends on the driver
• The Visitor Info Stand- Tours/Maps- there's one down the street from Bubba Gump's restaurant and they are always helpful. Take a Ghost Tour or the Vampire Tours- Day/Night.
• The World War II Museum- this is a great place to go, but you have to drive there and it will take the better part of the day to see and enjoy it all.
• The French Market is always fun- food and souvenirs galore.
• There is a gem of diner, with excellent food at a great price across from Jean Lafitte's bar.
• Take the ferry into Algiers for a really good lunch. Can't miss it, right as you get off the ferry. And when you're done, there is a walking tour that's really fun to take. There is an old bar that was used in the movie "Ray" about Ray Charles and other movies as well.

Adult- Night Life:

• The old time jazz and blues of New Orleans can still be found, but not as easily as it use to be. Three years after Katrina many of the "jazz" clubs had closed down or re-opened but now the bands playing were rock or country. A trek down side streets one could find a jazz band. Katrina has long passed and more of the clubs on Bourbon Street have live jazz bands. It's taking time, but it's returning to the New Orleans of old on Bourbon Street.
• Off course, you can't have New Orleans without it's "red light" district and it's still there.
• Harrah's New Orlean's Casino
• Prices have gone up quite a bit than what they used to be, but you can still find some gems at this amazing place that won't break the bank.